Control valves are often used to regulate fluidic flow rates. An exemplary control valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,832 issued to Taylor, which sets forth a multiple orifice valve (MOV) having a valve body with a flow passageway extending therethrough.
The MOV includes a cylindrical disc rotating barrel having longitudinal bores rotatably disposed in the flow passageway. A pair of juxtaposed multiple orifice discs are positioned in the flow passageway adjacent the downstream end portion of the valve body. The upstream disc is pinned to, and is rotatable with, the disc rotating barrel, while the downstream disc is supported in a stationary position.
Angular rotation of the disc rotating barrel is effected by a handle that extends through a slot in the valve body to mate or mismate the orifices in the discs. This provides a flow port that can be continuously varied, or throttled, between a fully closed position and a fully open position.
While prior art control valves such as the aforementioned MOV have been found operable, there is a continual need in the art for improved valve configurations which can accommodate a wide range of fluids and operational conditions, and it is to such improvements that the present invention is generally directed.